It didn't take long for the Lakers to land LeBron James once free agency started on July 1, but it also didn't take long for the Warriors to compete with that move as it made plans to sign DeMarcus Cousins the following day.
Many thought that with James going to the Lakers, the franchise would be in contention to win a title over the Warriors. But according to Shaquille O’Neal, James won't be enough to beat Golden State as the roster stands now.
"The move is still not enough to match the Golden State Warriors because they had a significant piece added also with DeMarcus Cousins," O'Neal said of James' decision to play for the Lakers, per CNBC.
“In my opinion, this is the most talented starting five I've seen in the history of the game. It waters the game down a lot with everyone being on one team, but it is what it is,” O’Neal added. “The good thing about the Golden State superteam is they play an excellent style of basketball."
O'Neal, who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016 and won four titles with the Lakers and Heat during his 19-year NBA career, went on to say that James was going to have to figure out a way to win a title in Los Angeles.
“He’s a very marketable guy ... but you must win at some point,” O’Neal said about James. "I think for him to be considered a great Laker, he definitely has to win a championship."
James opted out of the final year of his contract with the Cavaliers to become a Laker. He led Cleveland to the NBA Finals last season, but was ultimately swept by the Warriors. James has won three titles in his 15-year career, taking home two with Miami and one with the Cavs.
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